Hi. I'm looking for the most sensible hybrid inverter and was almost into the Solis 3.6kw hybrid inverter when I came across a YouTube video praising the givenergy hybrid inverter, especially with its automatic charging function of the battery at low cost times ( octopus)

I wonder wich one you would recommend please and if not either of them which one and why.

The battery system I'm still looking for too leaning towards the pylon system.

Thank you for your help

Hi @Bosi,

I was watching your post with interest and was disappointed, as I'm sure were you, when there were no replies.

Have you made any decisions regarding your inverter & batteries? I'd be keen to hear your reasoning if you have made any decisions.

 

Thanks

It could be that many on here think that it is too early, and not finically viable, to be considering batteries.

i used the enphase microinverters. it was explained to me they are much more efficient, also means not having to mount a large single inverter.

 

https://www4.enphase.com/en-uk/products-and-services/microinverters

 

 

1 hour ago, SteamyTea said:

It could be that many on here think that it is too early, and not finically viable, to be considering batteries.

 

With some of the time-of-use tariffs starting to be offered, I think we're approaching a time when batteries could make financial sense for some people. However, whether it makes sense in the long term assumes that the current electricity rates will apply for at least several years. That's hard to predict with any certainty.

 

It's also hard to model. I'm coming to the end of my Octopus Go contract. The Go rates I'm being offered for a new term are terrible. There's another option with lower peak and off-peak rates (compared to the new Go rates), and also a longer cheap period, but I'm also thinking about whether Agile might make sense. It's extremely difficult to model though. Even if I can model our current usage, I assume that will need to change to get the best out of any variable time-of-use tariff.

9 minutes ago, jack said:

With some of the time-of-use tariffs starting to be offered, I think we're approaching a time when batteries could make financial sense for some people. However, whether it makes sense in the long term assumes that the current electricity rates will apply for at least several years

My feeling is it is a marketing fad.

 

54 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

My feeling is it is a marketing fad.

 

What's a fad? Time of use tariffs?

4 minutes ago, jack said:

 

What's a fad? Time of use tariffs?

Yes.

But it is the 'marketing' part that is important.

8 years ago, no one knew about Octopus Energy, now they are becoming a religion because 'they do something different'.

That has been the clever bit.

In reality, once the pricing paid for some new home technology to store energy is amortised, I doubt the real unit cost is any less that my EDF quarterly billing tariff.

2 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Yes.

But it is the 'marketing' part that is important.

8 years ago, no one knew about Octopus Energy, now they are becoming a religion because 'they do something different'.

That has been the clever bit.

In reality, once the pricing paid for some new home technology to store energy is amortised, I doubt the real unit cost is any less that my EDF quarterly billing tariff.

Personally, I think highly of them because they are leading the industry in reducing ROI on renewables.

 

The tariffs are complicated and massively usage dependent, but can be modelled and produce benefit for the grid (shifting usage) and the consumer (decreased bills).

 

Assuming PV lifetime of 25 years and battery 15 years the amortized cost of my install is £383/year. In the last four months it has saved me £253, the majority of which is since moving to Flux a month ago. That is a vast improvement from a few years ago before Octopus shook up the export rate market. I do believe a small battery is financially viable for many if installing a new system (not replacing inverter etc. in an old system) and Octopus are helping make that argument. The problem I see is very rapidly diminishing returns as battery install costs increase which leads to people getting stung when installers insist they will need 5kWh+ capacity. I have 2.8kWh usable capacity, any more would have made it financially unviable.

 

@Bosi I've had no issue with the Solax hybrid but there isn't an easy way to schedule a force discharge if that's something that matters to you. I've had to do it through a python battery control program running on a raspberry pi.

3 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

In reality, once the pricing paid for some new home technology to store energy is amortised, I doubt the real unit cost is any less that my EDF quarterly billing tariff.

Other than a free smart meter theres not alot of tech needed that most people havent already got to use a fancy E7 tariff?? Trying to save a few £ with TOU and storage then you need to do your sums